Chapter 110: Suddenly a Commoner Carries a Spear at Night
The bright moon moved the boat, and they talked at length.
Zhou Yan stood tall, watching the large boat gradually drift away.
The storyline of Legend of the Condor Heroes, following Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci, had already begun to deviate from its original path upon reaching Fu’an Escort Agency. By the time of the Lantern Festival, when Ke Zhen’e and Guo Jing assassinated Wanyan Honglie, and Western Venom Ouyang Feng appeared in Zhongdu, a world-shattering change had occurred.
Zhou Yan was completely unaware of how the Two Immortals of Quanzhen and the Six Freaks of Jiangnan had deliberated, or whether Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi had reunited with Qiu Chuji.
He had originally thought that since Ke Zhen’e and Ma Yu were still in Zhongdu, he could assess the situation. However, Huang Rong was severely injured and on the brink of death, Mei Chaofeng hired escorts, and many events unfolded in ways that were completely unexpected.
After this turn of events, Lu Chenfeng and Mei Chaofeng, because of Huang Rong, met with a smile and buried their past grievances, and Huang Rong was to return to Peach Blossom Island.
But the Six Freaks of Jiangnan suddenly appeared at Taihu Lake, with Guo Jing accompanying them. Zhou Yan guessed that they would still be heading to the appointment at Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Jiaxing.
He was a little curious whether Wanyan Kang knew about his impending journey to Jiaxing or if he was acting as a little prince of the Jin Dynasty.
In fact, according to Qiu Chuji’s original intention in Legend of the Condor Heroes, he was to take Wanyan Kang to Jiaxing for a martial arts competition. After the competition, regardless of who won or lost, they would reconcile, and then Qiu Chuji would explain Wanyan Kang’s background to him, bring Bao’s out, and find a place to live in seclusion.
However, later, due to Mu Nianci’s martial arts competition to recruit a husband and Guo Jing encountering Huang Rong, the direction of this event also underwent dramatic changes. Could it be that due to the influence of events such as Mu Nianci arriving at Fu’an and Huang Rong traveling south from Fengling Ferry, it had returned to Changchunzi Qiu Chuji’s original plan?
As Zhou Yan pondered this, he couldn’t help but sigh.
The large boat gradually sailed further away. He sat cross-legged again, beginning to circulate his energy to temper the Yinwei Meridian within the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
This meridian serves to store pulse qi and plays a role in maintaining the balance of all the body’s yin meridians.
He now had considerable insight into the internal cultivation techniques of the Quanzhen Sect. Under the guidance of Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi, he had understood many Taoist scriptures and had a profound understanding of the direct, invisible relationship between the body’s channels and meridians, which communicated the exterior and interior of the viscera. Tempering and unblocking the meridians was not entirely done according to the learned cultivation techniques.
Just as he practiced swordplay, he also practiced spear techniques. Logically, when tempering meridians, one should focus on the Pericardium Meridian of Hand Jueyin and the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian.
However, Zhou Yan did the opposite, tempering the Yinwei Meridian. The reason for this was his advanced understanding of Taoist internal school cultivation techniques and accumulated knowledge, which gave him an objective and profound understanding of bodily functions.
The Yinwei Meridian stores pulse qi, and during Zhou Yan’s cultivation, whether he consumed snake gallbladder or intercepted the gentle qi of Jade Guanyin, he needed to use pulse qi to transport qi and blood to stimulate internal force.
In simple terms, with sufficient pulse qi, transporting qi and blood and stimulating internal force would be twice as effective.
The Yinwei Meridian originates on the inner side of the lower leg, ascends along the inner side of the thigh to the abdomen, and merges with the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. It passes through the chest and intersects with the Ren Meridian at the neck.
Zhou Yan guided the energy with his intent. His pure and powerful internal force warmed and emerged from his dantian, circulating along the meridians. It suddenly surged out from the “Jinmen Acupoint” on the outer ankle of the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, traveling along this extraordinary meridian, solidifying major acupoints such as “Nao Shu,” “Tian Ji,” “Tian Liao,” and “Jian Jing.”
The inner qi circulating in the meridians was like a hammer, and the meridians were like rough iron. The sixteen major acupoints along this meridian, after being solidified by the inner qi, were like a furnace.
Zhou Yan used this method to temper the meridians, like forging iron, removing the dross and retaining the essence. The meridians, through repeated hammering and tempering, gradually became thick, strong, and resilient.
Just as the poem “All things are my creation, different substances and shapes are all marvelous” from 《Yè Jīn Mén Zèng Diāo Luán Jiàng 》 described, Zhou Yan repeatedly tempered. As the moon hung high in the sky, the internal force within the sixteen major acupoints of the Yinwei Meridian suddenly surged out like a spring. The Yinwei Meridian, which he had been tempering for half the night, emitted a “buzz” like a beautiful sound of metal and stone, as if it had been refined into steel and was now unblocked.
“Hoo!” A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Yan’s eyes and then retracted. He had expended considerable energy after such a long period of tempering. Jade Guanyin emitted a gentle qi, and he used the Quanzhen internal school cultivation technique to intercept qi, transport qi and blood, and stimulate it into internal force. Indeed, due to the tempering and unblocking of the Yinwei Meridian, the speed had increased significantly.
As he sipped his teacup, his body’s fatigue was dispelled. Just as he was about to find some food to fill his stomach, a conch shell sound was heard from afar. The sound rose and fell, sometimes long, sometimes short.
Zhou Yan could naturally tell that the conch shell sound was being used for some kind of communication.
The conch shell sounded several times, and Liang Xiaowu and the other four runners leaped out and stood at the bow of the boat.
The moonlight was bright, and his vision could reach far. Looking out, the boats were like a swarm of ants, countless, like ink dots splattered on a large green paper.
A boatman ran over and said, “Merchant, the heroes of Taihu Lake are active ahead. Why not avoid them for now?”
Zhou Yan’s heart stirred, and he said, “Just stop the boat.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to the customer.”
The evening before, Lu Chenfeng had boarded the large boat and spoken with Zhou Yan. The boatman had heard clearly and was not worried. He immediately ordered the shop assistants to lower the sails and anchor, then took the shop assistants into the cabin, paying no mind to matters outside.
“Head Escort, these Taihu Lake heroes are gathered together. What do you think it’s about?”
Liang Xiaowu and the other runners were not nervous at all. The merchant had already arrived at Guiyun Manor, and the personal safety escort was successfully completed, so their worries were gone. Even if their head escort and Master Lu were strangers, as long as they didn’t get involved, there would be no problem. They could just watch the excitement.
Zhou Yan thought about the heroes gathered at the Taihu Lake Water Village. He wondered if it was related to the Jin Dynasty Imperial Envoy’s southward journey, and if the Lin’an Prefecture court had sent someone to meet them. If that were the case, Duan Tiande would likely be leading the troops.
The heroes of the Taihu Lake Water Village, led by Lu Guanying, would first deal with the Lin’an Prefecture escort team for the Jin Dynasty Imperial Envoy, and then target Wanyan Kang. However, the current problem was that Ouyang Feng’s presence was unknown.
If Western Venom was also traveling with them, the Taihu Lake Water Village and Guiyun Manor would be uprooted by Ouyang Feng.
Zhou Yan could not stand by and do nothing. He thought about assessing the situation and adapting as needed, and at the very least, he could send a message.
“Who knows? Let’s watch.”
Several people stood at the bow of the boat and watched. Before long, a fleet of boats approached from the direction where Taihu Lake connected to the Yangtze River. Suddenly, conch shell sounds erupted across the lake. The two fleets gradually drew closer, and the sounds of shouting, yelling, and clashing weapons could be faintly heard. A large boat was set ablaze, reddening half the night sky.
The two fleets on the lake were engaged in fierce battle, and small boats continuously joined the Taihu Lake Water Village’s forces. There were also boats with damaged hulls, or small boats carrying the wounded, passing by near Zhou Yan’s large boat.
In the darkness, an indignant voice rang out: “That traitor from Lingao Island used an iron paddle to kill Master Tang. That Three-Headed Ghost is also ferocious.”
“Don’t worry, Misty Peak will avenge Master Tang.”
“Brothers, be careful.”
Boats crisscrossed back and forth, and such words reached Zhou Yan’s ears. He was slightly stunned. Iron paddle, Three-Headed Ghost, could they be Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai?
As he thought this, he made a slight deduction based on Huang Rong’s pursuit of the enemy to Lin’an Prefecture without success, and he confirmed the answer.
Hou Tonghai, Sha Tongtian, and others must have gone to Lin’an Prefecture first to gather information, and then to escort Wanyan Kang. They must have sensed a trace of danger in Taihu Lake and infiltrated the Taihu Lake Water Village’s forces.
Lu Guanying is in danger.
“Xiaowu, I’ll go take a look.”
“Head Escort, be careful.”
Liang Xiaowu and the other four runners had long since followed Zhou Yan’s lead. He was not worried about him speaking too much.
Zhou Yan did not take his iron bow, nor did he bring his Qinggang Sword. He asked Xiaowu for a signal flare and took his fine steel spear.
Large boats carrying vehicles and horses all had a small boat for escape in case of emergencies.
Liang Xiaowu and several runners worked together to lower the small boat. Zhou Yan leaped onto it and paddled straight towards the Taihu waters, where smoke and fire billowed.
